Various processes may be used to join materials together. Welding has been used in the automotive industries for years. Welding is the joining together of materials (typically metals or thermoplastics), usually by a fusion process. Design of complex components is often based on the concept of the “weakest link” limiting structural performance. The “ideal joint” would exhibit all of the characteristics of the bulk material comprising the structures being joined. Such a joint is by no means simple to produce.
The automobile fabrication process, and the elements and subsystems within, require highly reliable couplings available in relatively short production windows. Waiting hours for a bond to occur is not an option. An emphasis on the electrical properties of welds and the characteristics of the any alloys in the bond has not been a primary focus in the industry.